Another option for vision correction is an implantable collamer lens (ICL). The ICL is a lens implant developed to correct nearsightedness – myopia, and astigmatism. The EVO ICL is often referred to as an “implantable contact lens.” EVO ICL has many benefits when compared to LASIK or PRK.
The EVO ICL offers an unparalleled quality of vision, providing excellent vision both day and night. Two unique factors help explain this superior performance. First, the EVO ICL is made of Collamer – a soft, flexible lens material that contains collagen,– making the lens extremely biocompatible for a lifetime of clear vision. Second, the lens is placed inside the eye, where it continues to focus light accurately without any maintenance required.
The safety and effectiveness of the ICL procedure have been proven with over 2 million implants worldwide. Unlike corneal refractive surgery (LASIK and PRK), the EVO ICL does not permanently alter the structure of the eye and can be easily removed if needed.
The EVO lens is foldable. This feature allows your doctor to implant the lens using a smaller opening. This smaller opening does not require sutures, and allows for a quick recovery.
Although the EVO ICL is meant to stay in the eye indefinitely, it is easily removable, leaving the patient’s options open for future treatments. LASIK and PRK permanently alter the eye structures and cannot be reversed.
One amazing aspect of EVO ICL is that many people report that they see better after the procedure than they had ever seen before with glasses or contact lenses. This is related to the quality of the implant material and the location of placement within the eye. 49% of lens recipients gained one or more lines of best-corrected vision. In other words, if they could see 20/30 with their glasses or contact lenses before the procedure, they improved to 20/20 after the procedure.
Most patients who have had the ICL implant are happy with their decision and feel they had an excellent outcome. 99.4% of patients said they would have the surgery again.
Prior to the EVO Visian ICL eye surgery, an ophthalmic eye surgeon will make two microscopic holes in the iris. Your eye will be numbed with a light, topical or local anesthetic. Once the eye is numbed the surgeon will make 2 side port incisions and one main temporal incision that is critical to the insertion process. Next the surgeon will insert the EVO Visian ICL through the main temporal incision and place the lens behind the iris and in front of the crystalline lens. This insertion procedure is typically performed one eye at a time. There is very little discomfort and normally no pain associated with the procedure. Some drops or perhaps oral medication may be prescribed, and a visit is usually scheduled the day after surgery. Patients will be advised to arrange for someone to drive them to and from surgery
20-30 Minute Surgical Procedure
Pre-Op Exam
Eye Drops Administered
Small Opening
Lens Insertion & Positioning
Post-Op Check-Up
No post-surgical dry eye
UV protection built into lens
Better surgery for thin corneas
Excellent night vision
Extreme clarity and detail reported by patients
Safe & Advanced biocompatible material design
Amazing, rapid wow factor after surgery
Short recovery time
The lens is also removable
Procedure is relatively quick (30 minutes)
The ICL is made of a high tech material known as collamer. Collamer is a revolutionary material used exclusively in making STAAR Surgical corrective lenses, including several models of the Visian ICL. Its name comes from the combination of “collagen” and “polymer”. Because it is made with collagen, Collamer is compatible with your body’s natural chemistry. Collamer is easy to implant because it unfolds gently and predictably in the eye. Collamer transmits light very similarly to your natural lens because the material’s characteristics are nearly identical to the human crystalline lens. Collamer offers numerous advantages over other lens materials:
Due to its unique anti-reflective properties and high water content, Collamer helps transmit light nearly identically to the human crystalline lens. This means less light is reflected within the eye, leading to sharper, clearer vision; and far fewer occurrences of glare, halos, or poor night vision associated with other lenses or corrective procedures.
Meaning “compatible with your body’s natural chemistry,” biocompatibility is a key advantage of Collamer. The collagen in the Collamer attracts fibronectin, a substance found naturally in the eye. A layer of fibronectin forms around the lens, inhibiting white cell adhesion to the lens. This coating prevents the lens from being identified as a foreign object, and the lens remains unnoticed and “quiet in the eye” indefinitely. What’s more, like the collagen it contains, Collamer carries a slight negative ionic charge. Proteins in the eye also carry a negative charge. As these two negative forces meet each other along the border of the Visian ICL, the charge repulsion pushes away the proteins from the lens, naturally keeping it clean and clear.
Long-term exposure to UV radiation can damage the eyes; longer term or more intense exposure increase the chance of eye disorders including the development of cataracts and some retinal problems. As an added feature, the EVO Visian ICL advanced lens material contains a UV blocker that actually prevents harmful UVA and UVB rays from entering the eye, possibly preventing the development of UV related eye disorders.
